John 1:16

From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.

This verse goes on in verse 17 to say that grace and truth came through the Christ, born on Christmas. Many religious leaders claim to show the right way to live. Jesus actually did show the way to live, and He did much more. Focus on the word “blessing” for a minute. The birth of Jesus opened the door to the blessing of salvation for all nations. Now that is something to celebrate this Christmas!

Thank the Lord that His birth was a blessing for all the nations. Pray that you will remember His salvation as you celebrate His birth this month.

Algerian Tamacheq People

by JR

For most of us, pitching a tent is a rare, short-term experience, and we are usually very grateful to get back into a “real” house! For the Algerian Tamacheqs, if there weren’t tents available, there would be no homes at all. Most of the Algerian Tamacheqs live in the southeastern part of the country. The latest census available has their number at 25,000.

Camels are the center of their economic activity and lifestyle. They provide milk, meat, hair for textiles and clothing, as well as muscle for moving equipment and heavy loads. This has been the national routine for 2,000 years now, since the camel was introduced by the Arabs.

Early in their history, Algerian Tamacheq people were involved in slave trading. Those who were not used as slaves were assimilated into Tamacheq society. This is one of the reasons they are sometimes despised by other people groups and given the derisive name, “Tuareg.” These tough people are considered trouble-makers, sometimes for good reason, and sometimes out of prejudice.

Tamacheqs are known to enjoy a cup of hot, strong, sweet tea, particularly while visiting with foreigners who come to experience their homeland.